Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi will back Deputy President William Ruto for the presidency, multiple sources tell HiviPunde.
The Meru governor will be Ruto’s new catch when the deputy president returns from his US-UK trip. While he will not join the UDA, his “Mbus” party will sign a corporation agreement with the Deputy President like Ford Kenya and ANC Party did.
Despite earlier endorsing, and hosting Raila Odinga both in Meru and Nairobi during a meeting of Meru professionals, government officials and business leaders, Kiraitu kept reneging.
Read: Governor Kiraitu’s ‘Mbus’ vow to lock Meru vote for ODM leader
Before Kiraitu endorsed Raila, he had convened a meeting with Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki and Embu Governor Martin Wambora. This meeting was at the behest of State House official Njee Muturi and the agenda was to shore up the political profile of national assembly speaker Justin Muturi.
Towards the end of last year, Muturi had spent weeks in a Njuri Ncheke shrine, whereafter, he was to be the sole Mt. Kenya presidential candidate.
Read: Njuri Ncheke elders dismiss Justin Muturi’s coronation as Mt Kenya spokesperson
The cold nights at the Njuri Ncheke shrine did not however convert to popular support, and Muturi did not emerge as the penultimate Mt. Kenya leader.
Kiraitu’s move to DP is meant to provide cover to other parties in Mt. Kenya to form coalition agreements with the deputy President, without collapsing such parties to join UDA.
Alongside Kiraitu and Muturi, other Mt. Kenya politicians expected to form coalition agreements with the Deputy President include Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Martha Karua.
